NFL announces initiative publicizing community work by players

Posted by Josh Alper on January 23, 2018, 10:09 AM EDT

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After meetings between team owners, league officials and current and retired players last year, the NFL agreed to fund causes focused on social justice supported by players and the league announced an initiative related to that effort on Tuesday.

The “Let’s Listen Together” initiative will publicize joint efforts “among players, owners, law enforcement, and civic organizations to improve communities” through digital content and social media activity focused on player-led efforts to address social and racial equality. There will also be individual letters from players and owners explaining why social justice is a priority to them and features on NFL Network illuminating community work done by players.

“The collaboration between the NFL and its players should be celebrated, as it’s the first professional league or entity that has taken the concerns of its players and put resources behind it,” former player Anquan Boldin said in a statement. “Our country has some real issues when it comes to social and racial equality that must be addressed. The only way these issues will get solved is to fight together.”

Boldin joins Jets tackle Kelvin Beachum, Jets quarterback Josh McCown, Redskins cornerback Josh Norman and Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams as player representatives on a committee with Jaguars owner Shad Khan, Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Dolphins owner Stephen Ross that will “identify future initiatives that have both broad support and a potential for high impact” and recommend where money should be spent to best support them.

Businesses fail when they lose sight of their core mission or product. The NFL is declining as a direct result f the deterioration of the product on the field. 3.5 hour games. Lack of flow. Endless Supreme Court level replays.

I personally do not look to the NFL nor their players as a my moral compass. Frankly I despise the fact that the NFL wraps itself in our flag for PR purposes. I do not need them to tell me how wonderful their players are. I frankly do not care. My advise would be to focus on your game.

I like this. The Media never misses a chance to tell you when a player is caught with possession of marijuana or in trouble for any reason giving the NFL a black eye. Meanwhile tons of players are doing good in the community all the time and it often flies under the radar compared to any arrest.

This is awesome. Though I know the majority of athletes like to remain nameless when doing their deeds because many people believe every good deed shouldn’t be televised, this is the best way to actually inform those who refuse to do the research on how players are actively contributing in communities. Nobody was kneeling without action, but when you don’t know what actions are being done a lot of ignorance tends to be spewed. A lot of times a lot of these players get bad reps for minuscule things and honest human mistakes. This gives people the chance to actually see how much good these players contribute.

I think the fans who claim their being alienated by people kneeling are rather ignorant. I want to know what effect that has on people? If players have already stated they aren’t anti-military, they’re just trying to use their platforms to shed light on social issues, why can’t people just be understanding? There are so many flag violations that people commit daily, people should realize that.

@factschecker says: January 23, 2018 at 10:39 am
(I’m being sarcastic towards the nay sayers that can’t handle other points of views yet call everyone a snowflake if they have a different POV than their own.)
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(I’m being sarcastic towards the nay sayers that can’t handle other points of views yet call everyone a racist, bigot, facist, or uneduated if they have a different POV than their own.)

minnesoulja says:
January 23, 2018 at 10:25 am
Anyone who can say something negative about this is likely a pretty foul human being. The league has the cash. The country has the problems. Let’s get to work making positive change.

ab420420 says:
January 23, 2018 at 11:55 am
minnesoulja says:
January 23, 2018 at 10:25 am
Anyone who can say something negative about this is likely a pretty foul human being. The league has the cash. The country has the problems. Let’s get to work making positive change.